Admintstbatob of said john a



l. A. LIDBACK, DECD. s. H. LmBAcK. AommlsnAroR. SAUSAGE LINKING MACHiNE. APPLICATION HLED Nov.3.1913.

Patented Aug. 15, 1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

.|. A. LIDBACK, DECD Gs H. LmBAcK, ADMINISTRATOR SUSAGE LlNKlNG-MACHINE. APPLICATION HLED Nov. s, 1913.

Patented Aug. 15, 1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2 1. A. LIDBACK, DEUD.

G. H. LIDBACI(` ADMINISTRATOR.

SAUSAGE LINKING MACHINE.

I APPLICATION FILED. NOV. 3. 1913. 1 ,1 95,048. Patented Aug. 15, 1916.

3 SNEnElTS-SHEET 3.

III IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIUIII I #lv I I III' Ill-Immun mw I IIIIIIIi i mm1 y m f l I um "i" u l the casing if: deiivered.

UNITED s'rA'rEs PATENT osrrcn.

JOHN A. LIDBACK, OF PORTLAND, MAINE, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, 0F ONE-EIGHTH T0 GEORGE H. LIDBACK, INDIVIDUALLY; GEORGE H. LIDBACK, OF PORTLAND, MAINE, ADMINISTRATOR OF SAID JOHN A. LIDBAGK, DECEASED.

To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN A. Limmen, .of Portland, in the county of Cumberland and State of Maine, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in-Sa'usage-Linking Machines, of which the following is a specification. v

My invention relates to machines for linking and sticking sausages.

The sausages after they .come from the stuffing machine are divide-d into links by contracted joints or divisions,` this work being commonly done by hand. To do the work by means of an automatic machine is diflicult on account of the fragile nature of the casing or membrane in which the meat is inclosedand on account of the rapidity of operation necessary to take theplace of hand work economically.

The object of my invention is to produce a sausage linking machine which will handle the sausages rapidly and tenderly so that the casings will not he broken and which will subsequently loop them over smoke heuse sticks ready to be hung in the smoke house. This is accomplished by means of the mecha-- nism hereinafter described and claimed.

My invention may best be understood by reference to the accompanying drawing in which is shown a sausage linking and sticking machine constructed. according to my invention.

ln the drawing, vFigure 1 is a general front elevation of the machine, Fig. is a side elevation. lig.- 3 is'a plan of the twisting mechanism below the line of' .'11 zu of Fig. l, Fig. 4 is a vertical section on the line fa m of Fig. 3, Fig. 5 is a plan taken below the line ac of lig. Fig. is a detail plan of the looping mechanism for loading the smoke house sticks. Fig. is a detail elevation of the same, and Fifi. S is a front elevation ofthe same. V

The stulfed easings are fed to the machine through an iur-lined spout 1 supported by brackets adjacent to the upper portion of the groored feeding wheel 2 to the top of which As said wheel turns, the stuffed casing descends, being held in the groove of the wheel by an endless hand 3 running orer guide pulleys L and 5 both of which are journaled on the ends of arms Awhich project out from the frame of the Specification of Letters Patent.

Vby

\s how n as four in number evenly Patented Aug-15, 1916.

Application filed November 3, 1913. Serial No. 798,794.

machine. The tension on the belt 3 `is just enough to hold the stuffed casing firmly in .ii

place in the groove without breaking the membrane.

Motion is imparted to the pulley 5 by a gear on the feed wheel 2 whlch engages a pinion on the pulley 5. An intermittent mo tion is given to the feed wheel by ,pi'tman 6 which is pivoted to an arm 7, the latter being loosely journaled on the shaft 9 on which the wheel 2 is journals-d. A pawl 8 on the end of the arm 7 acts .on the edge 'of the feed wheel 2 to `intermittently turn said wheel and so feed the Vstuffed casing. Y

The stuied casing as it leaves the feed wheel hangs vertically downward and passes through the twisting mechanism. The sausage is twisted by being seized intermittently two pairs of grippers one above the other and spaced apart the length of a single sansage. These grippers form the contracted joints which separate the sausage into links. The links are twisted while held by the grippers through the action of a set of holders pivoted to a twisting ring and which seize the body of the sausage and rotateit.

As herein shown, each set of grippers is composed of two oppositely disposedl plates 10 secured to vertical shafts 11 and 12. These plates 10 .have opposing angular recesses and are so arranged that when they close or overlap they will form a contracted `ioint in the casing. The two sets of grippers are secured on the opposite ends of the vertical shafts 11 and 12 and they are spaced apart a distance equal to the length `of a single sausage. The shaft-s 11 and 12 are journaled in a bracket 13 which extends outward from the frame 15 of the machine. The

down through the opening.

The sausage twistingr mechanism 1s located between the two sets of grippers and con sists of a rotating-ring carrying a set of holdingy arms disposed in the ring and around the sausage in position to seize it when the ring rotates. The twisting mechanism is supported as shown by the bracket 13. As here shown, the twisting mechanism consists of a rotatable twist-ing ring 17 to which is pivoted a series of holding arms 1S spaced and as t around the ring 1'?. Each ol the holding arms includesl a. huh from which projects on one side the holding aim prop/ir on the opposite side a, weighted projection 19 to the upper end of which is pivoted the conical roller 20. .p

The' holding arms are' arranged inpairs the two opposite arms constituting i pair. The arms of each pair are on the same level but the arms of one pair are above the arms of the other pair. The two arms of each pair swing toward and from each other and embrace a portion of the sausage. The sausage is thus embraced at two different points by the several arms 18 which are formed relatively Wide and slightly concave on the inner side. The weighted projections 19 are so located that as they are thrown outwardly by the centrifugal force they Awill force the arms into the closed position with a gentle holding grip on 'the sausage. (See dotted lines Fig. 3.)

The twisting ring 17 rests on a supporting ring 21 which contains an annular ball race. Antii'iction balls are interposed hetween the twisting ring 1( and. the .supporting ring 21 to provide for the easy rotation of the twisting ring. l'

The twisting ring 17 is continuouslyY rotated by a horizontally disposed gear 22 which engages gear teeth on the periphery of the twisting ring 17. he gear 22 is on the upperl end of a vertical shaft on the lower end of which is' the bevel gear 23 enN gaging a bevel gear 24: on'tlie counter shaft .(Fig. 2.) The counter shaft mites its power from the gear L13 on the main shaft 23 by means of a pinion 25 which engages the gear 43.

s pointed out, the holding arms are closed .by centrifugal action but they are opened by positive mechanism.

As here shown the projections 19 are forced simultaneously inward hy of a vertically movable ring 26 which basa conical inner surface engagin the conical surfaces on the rolls 20. The epression of the ring 26 thus tends to force the conical rolls and the projections 19 inward toward the center and to open the arms 1S. The lift-ing o the ring 26 leaves the arms tree to swing inwardly by the outward throw of the projections 19.

Means are provided for in .pinfr the linked sausages over the sinoke house so that they may he carried bodihr int the sncie house, The iclis are ted dir/'civ i ies the linev er vertically ing linked t over the stick oy ri which throws the Licence a ich t the sticks impinge and hy 'which fen', along. The-belt extends in op. te directions from the line of deliveiy l ansages and itis long enough to ne s several of the sticks, it least one on each Side of the line of delivery of the sausages.

The belt 28 runs over two guideI pulleys 31 jonrnaled at opposite ends of a benin 8() supported on standards 32. he pulley 31 is intermittently rotated to feed thev belt 28 by an arm 33 pivoted on the pulley shaft and having on its end a pawl 34 which engages the ratchet wheel 33 secured on the saine shaft as the pulley. y The arm 38 is oscillzited by means of a pitman which is connected with an upright oscillating lever 47. (See Fig. 5.) The beam 30 has on each side a guide or spreader 30 which spread the sausage loops.

As here shown, the linked sausages yare looped from side to side over the Smoke house stick by means of an oscillating guide 37 which is located beneath the linking mechanism and above the smoke house sticlr. It has two upwardlyv liar-ing abutments set preferably at right angles to each other and downwardly extending projections 37 positioned to press the sausages against the beam and hold thein there while the loops are forming. The guide is secured to an 'arm extending out from' a hub 38, said -hiih he ing pivoted directly over the belt '2B to a brac ret secured to the beam 30. An arm 39 connected' with the huh is pivoted to a pitman 40 hy which the guide is oscillated from side to side directing the line of linked sausages so that itfalls first on one sidr and then on the other. A

Power is applied to the machine by any suitable means as for instance by an electric motor 41 from which power' is transinib ted 'through a train of gears 42 to the. gear, 43 on the main shaft 45. l on theinain shaft actua-tes the pitman :iln ready described through which an intermit tent motion is applied to the feed wheel The main shaft extends through to the opposite sid' of the machine where it is rovided with a groovedram 46 1) through which most of the motions of the plane (Fig. 3). i connects the lever 4T wi' 50 secured to the up, .A .fl arm on the upright nncrts with like arin en the by ine-ans of pitinan The reeiprocaiion of v; l

l with a cani roll 455; which runs n the groove of the cani 46 and oscih' the grippors 10 whirlly the contrai-.teil joints are formeel whioh Seguir-.Lto the sinisnge into links. O The holding arms are actuated by the vertical motion of the ring 2li. AS here shown.. th@ ringr is pivotulljs supported on tho 4)nils of a. pair of horizontal :mns 55 whivh :iro in turn pivoted to hraclwm 5G (Fig. 2"). The? ringr is rziieil and lowviwgil hiv :i wiliciil nrni 54 which iS bifnx'c. oil :al: its Uppfi ond. the two upper ends being pife'ieil to the zirzzis S5. The lower @nd i5 cnnnrvlwl ii ith the. horizontal end of :i bvll crnnli hwm' Il? i l) tho vertical @nfl of whiih vf'iniwriwi saith :i

pitmain pivoted to thv hwvi l?. 'l`nii. thv

movement of the lewz -ll' opens and Closes thv4 grinpers :nul lh(- lng arms.

As already stated, thai navillniir guide 37 is allnateol through u (Figs. (i und which muni 56 on the upper cnil of n i' On the lower sinzl'of this :mn 5&8 on @he mul in wliivh i.-'

ting in 'the grown of si counter shalt 6l. The tion from the main Sh gein' which engager :i pini@ .1. lli. l) on the rnziin Shaft 15.

ln operation. thc stiill'ol rf over they fowl wha@ unil 5 donn through ihr g.i{ pm,-. arms when) thor g i.--v lmwn Suizml hy thigxippm-.Lz lo lni'n'e. l'

bolli o'i' ih? szinsngfv being" i' simu lnniaoiisly hohl n. 'is i www'. wim Mil lil- 'f lll() saine is hohl hy h@ griphon-2,. the grippers are relvziseil thv, mii: ign is; lill the length of two links every :iltm'lml link r@- maining untwisteil. 'ihrsniisiigin# sli'op 40 through tho linking uwihiinisni they fire loopel on thu srnolo hmlso sticks u; l scribed. lt will liv nomi ihm. llw onfllehs holt with its Smoke himno. sliifl's mvnfl i ronsiiliizihh" ili'vtani-v mich nfl-Q ol' he lino of (lelivvry oi' the linlml ffz'iilsngv# llizithe Sticking opwzilion gmiw on umiliiiouly while thv nim-hin@ in running. l`l :moho honfsie slifks um ,ihiififll #nil lo unil :m llmt when one is lilhil ilu.J loop nl milfzigvs will he lnilil ovni' thv nOX. zilfoininpj ;-l cli. tlnx liist slick lrnmwrl :xml no on inllrlinilzvly.

The' sziiimig@ linking :nm-hin@ lwrvin lv- Sirihoil ix (zupillilo if doing rzipiil .vm'li 'i out injury lo the seiimigw. il i'-1 nim@ 111.11

tury than hainil work :nifl n.xhlifs; tha naw :signs to no prniliirml :lli n lover will.

l. ln :l innvhinc for hol; ronihirmtlmi ol f.; Rolling; ill-rire- G the still/foil (fusing. tm wlw. if pfff.:

forming? mfiml Iiafinli-i in lhixviii( gripperfl 'wir simil/@il ipenl ilu luz one 5911521554, n Hg hn of grlppers throng pvoted holding and. spmfucl l'm' enough from grippcrs'. lo einbraifo the nnoonlxracie body of thv smi Sugo and means for rotating; sind ring.

ln n i'nnchino fmlinking stimmigen, lh@ rfolnliinntion of u feeding device 'for fewling 70 li estiileil zi'fsings. two sets nl grippeis for forming contr-.latini joints in thv ,fzising. nhl gfrinyrwrs living slpzioml apart the length of onL imnsuge. 21 lwlwlingf ring hil V,n 'il sots of gripnli's tl:v iigjh which thi: anu-1, i'zisapivotczl hohlingj urina mrriml h); ring :ind snzwfil 'fur cnough from ull pers lo vlnlnzii-Q li i uiiroiill'zuzioil holly rf hm muisarm. influx@ for rotating; will lixlstinf ring unil mmm for owning nml oloaingg siiiil 50 arms.

il. ln a machine lor linkingr sfinszigfvs. tlm afnniliinnlion ol :i fnmling loviffi for lvifilini the iilliml wwingfi. lim with nl' gi'iifymw los; forming: sonrm'flzl yiiinle in il wiraingf. ml 8:3

wie inl' wim;

nivoiiil holding urina m lli said line of sausages to loop the same over said stick from side to side and means for Jfeeding said belt.

1G. In a linking machine, the combination of means for linking and delivering a line of vertically suspended linked sausages, an endless belt for supporting a smoke house stick in the line of delivery of the sausages, means for feeding said belt und means including lateral abutments for positively oscillating the line of sausages from side to side to form a series of loops over said stick.

17. ln a. machine of thc character described, the combination of a sausage tWisting mechanism, a longitudinally movable link holder for receiving the linked sausage and a laterally reciprocating guide having abutments between which t e line of linked sausages pass and by which A.hey are looped from side to side on the loop holder.

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature, in presence of two Witnesses.

JOHN A. LIDBACK. Witnesses S. W. BATES, Com B. CREIGHTON. 

